1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a testing method and apparatus, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for testing the reaction times of machine operators, when they are subjected to various cues. The invention is believed to have particular utility in connection with the training and testing of motor vehicle operators.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Measurement of reaction time of motor vehicle drivers is well known in the prior art, but prior training systems have used lights of different colors, for example, to provide cues to the training student as to what procedure he must next perform. One or more arrays of colored lights may be used to convey commands. For example, illumination of one or more red lights on the trainer dashboard may convey the command "Stop"; one or more yellow lights may convey the command "Proceed with caution", and a set of green lights may indicate "Proceed at normal speed". The amount of time intervening between the presentation of a cue and the commencement of the required action on the part of the student is measured, stored and later displayed to indicate the reaction time of the student.
Such arrangements however, are rather unrealistic. In the real world changing traffic conditions ahead of a moving vehicle are not communicated to the driver by systems of colored lights, but instead by a flow of constantly-changing visual information, which includes incidents where a threatening situation may suddenly develop after a number of innocuous or non-threatening traffic conditions have occurred. Another factor not heretofore considered in the prior art is the change in reaction time when the number of visual inputs is increased. It is certainly easier and quicker for a driver to recognize a developing threatening situation where only one or a few objects are in view, compared to the situation where visual images of a large plurality of objects are seen, and the number and location of the objects are changing randomly and relatively quickly.